Tie rack



H. HEISLER July 24, 1951 TIE RACK 2 Sheets-Sheet l KI Iii]! l|! 1 Filed Feb. 11, 1949 If 1 I I I l i l I I I' H. HEESLER 2,562,093

TIE RACK zsheets-sheet 2 July 24, 195] v Filed Feb. 11. 1949 Patented July 24, 1951 v 111m Harold Hisl'r, Ghiago, Ill.', assignor 1 0 Kluson Manufacturing. GompanwI-DhicaEM-IIL,ia corporationjofclllinois ApplicatioiiFeliruary 11, ragged-a1Nosisysie .iu oiai ms. (Grain-J01).

This' inventionrelatsto deviees'ofthe nature "of necktie holdingracks and'may be adapted-for sundryuses in a varietyof obviousmodifications. For example, and purely by way of illustration,

the invention can readily-be embodied in theform of a towel rack; and, in fact,'is susceptible 'of numerous analogous-applications; aspresently will be made apparent.

- The primary object of this invention-is to provide a rack of the -above=in'dicated character ing plate;

adapted for attachment to a wall'orthe'interior of-a closetdoor or otherconvenient support, com prising an article-supporting arm hinged-adjacent the supported end and adapted'tobe latched in horizontal posture or position and,"alternatively, unlatched and lowered to depending 'postu'reor position, so thatnormally the said arm and the articles supported-thereby occupy a minimum of otherwise useful spacecr protrude from the supporting wall or door, as-the casemay be, to' a minimum-extent. I

Ansecond object is to provide a necktie rack or analogou device econforming to the first stated object and wherein .the article-supporting arm is hinged near its support for both. vertical andhorizontal .rotation; and in this connection itis' a further object to .provide an arm: having a plu rality. of articleereceiving cross bars spaced apart lengthwise of the :arm, including .a' provision for maintaining the. saidrcross bars mutuallyzpara'llel at all times, irrespective of movement of said 1 arm about either its vertical vfor :horizontal ful crums-fthe underlying .purpose z'being'i-toxrender the supported articles *highly;'accessible;,-both for inspection and removal,.as wellasto renderfthe unloaded cross-bars easily accessibleafomapplica tionoi'articles thereto. 1

,.A thirdobject is to providea device'iof the aforestated :character which: can;be economically manufactured andeasilyr installed; besideszbeirig adequately sturdy and not prone to getraoutz-of order. The ,novel features ofthis inventionnan' most readily be explained asa, part oftheaensuingide taileddescription pertaining to theaccompafiying drawings wherein is shownia.necktieeholdingzrack constituting one. of mam/practicable embodiments which the; invention may assume. 5 I,

,In the;drawings: i Fig. 1 is-afront'view ShOWing the article-supporting arm depending from its supporting bracket-which is the. posturetogwhich the arm ordinarily. is adjusted; i Fig. .2 is'a side view' of Fig.- 1', likewise showing the arm-in dependmg' posture; I

' Fig. '3 is --a rear 4 elevational view of the mount- 'Fig l is a-plan view of'the device with the-article-supporting arm shown inh'orizontal posture and swung to one side or center;

Fig. 5 is a "fragmentary sectional View showing the article-supporting arm in'-' horizontal posture,

and "depicting certain details of construction Fig. 6 is a section taken at line 66- of Fig-. 5, showing thebrack'et construction; and

Fig'j7 is asectionat'lin T- -l'of Fig. 5,"ShOWing the manner in which the T lugs are formed detaeh abl-y engage the-mounting 1 plate.

3 The' dev-i'c'e illustrated 1 comprises a bracket 1 Ill adapted for attachment, as by 1 means of *woodscrews or bolts, -'to a 'w-all or doonsuriace 1 2 {and an arm 14 which is swingable in both the vertical and horizontal planes -=and is -=equipped 1 with a number of -parallel-=cross-barsl 5 -'-Which are "designed to' receive and support 'neck-ties or other articles. i 4

The bracket 10 includes amounting platel-B, usuallyof-metal, flanged atthe edge, asindicated at l 6a, 'to provide clearance space between the backface: of the plat'e' andthe adjacent mounting. surface 5 l 2. Said mounting plate I6 is "perforated to form 7 two" horizontally spaced vertical slots l1, l'l,---each-'having two vertically Spaced widened openings l8, [8, for *a purpose which presently will be made clear.- i "Two complementary parallel, horizontally spaced bracket elements 20* and" 2I-=pr'eferably' plastic moldings-are detachably-secured-to themountin'g plate I'B bymeans*0f'-- T-1u'gs '23 ormea ntegrally therewith,ea'ch-said bracket element having two' s'uch lugs spaced-apart vertically to match the vertical Spacingofthe openings l8 in themounting plate. "l The heads of said lugs 23 are "dimensioned" to pass through openings 18 while the necks thereof "are sufficientlyiiarrw to enter thenarrowportionsof the 'sl'ots I'I'and 'o'f -a length equal to'the: thickness of'the-mounting=plate plus enough clearance to "permitthe bi' acket elements-to slidele'rigthwise of the slots relatively to the mour-iting' plate whereby 'to' effect interengagement between the' bracket elements and the-mounting plate. Thus; the two-bracket elements are firmly Supp rted by the mounting plate and held in predetermined horizontal-1y spaced relation, *buflare capable' off-being "easily removed from the mountin platewithout detaching the mounting plate from its support.

' A member F2 5; preferably 'a plastic "molding, is fitted *between the' twofpppos'ed fac'espf the bracket elements 20 and 2 I and rotatable. in

the vertical plane about a fulcrum pin 26, the two ends of which are seated in circular recesses 38 formed in the respective bracket elements, as most clearly shown in Fig. 6. The member 25 is formed with an integral peripheral tooth 21, Fig. 4, designed to releasably engage an car 28 which is an integral part of the mounting plate l6 and projects forwardly therefrom for engagement by said tooth for the purpose of latching the arm M in horizontal posture. The axial opening or slot 3|] in member 25, through which passes the fulcrum pin 26 is elongated in a direction acutely angular to both the vertical and horizontal, Fig. 4, to form an inclined surface in engagement with fulcrum pin 26 so directed that the weight of arm 14 and the load carried thereby is effective to urge the member 25 toward the mounting plate It, thus tending to prevent inadvertent disengagement of tooth 21 from ear 28 while at the same time not unduly impeding intentional disengagement of those elements.

The arm 14 comprises two parallel, laterally spaced elongate bars 32, 32 of channel crosssection, each pivotally connected by means of a pin 33, 33 to the member 25, and at their outer ends to a tie member 35 by means of pins 34, 34

said tie member forming the outer terminus of the arm.

The cross-bars l each consist of a length of stiif wire, bent as shown in Fig. 1; and each of said cross-bars passes through an aperture .36 formed in each of the bars 32, 32which apertures are elongated lengthwise of said bars 32, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5 so as to permit free movement of arm l4 about the pivotal centers 33, 33.

The neckties or other articles are hung on the cross-bars l5 at either side of arm [4; and said arm normally depends from bracket ID, as depicted in Figs. 1 and 2, in which position it presents a minimum degree of obtrusiveness. Thus, the device is well adapted for mounting on the inside of a closet door, for example, where it might otherwise be objectionable on account of interference with articles of clothing hanging in the closet, when the closet door is closed. It will be self-evident that the adaptability of arm 14 to adjustment into depending posture is advantageous in many situations where space is at a premium and not solely in those cases where the device is mounted in a clothes closet or on the inside of a closet door.

The arm [4 is swingable upwardly about the fulcrum pin 26 from its depending posture to the horizontal posture in which it is depicted in Figs. 4 and 5; and such movement is, of course, accompanied by corresponding rotation of member 25. When said arm has reached horizontal posture, the tooth 21 is in a position to engage ear 28, as shown in Fig. 5, and will become latchingly engaged therewith, upon member 25 being urged toward the mounting plate. The necessary movement of member 25 transversely of the pin 26 to accomplish latching interengagement between ear 28 and tooth 21 is facilitated by the elongation of opening 30, Fig. 5. It may be observed that the elongation of opening 30, Fig. 5, could as well be in the horizontal direction so far as the latching and unlatching of the arm is concerned, but it is preferable that the elongation be inclined, as shown, so that the force acting downwardly on the arm, when in horizontal posture, will set up a component which is effective to bias the member 25 toward the mounting plate, for the reason previously explained. When the arm H! has been raised to horizontal posture, it can be swung in the horizontal plane in either direction from center about the pivots 33, 33; and when the arm is thus swung from side to side the cross-bars l5 remain mutually parallel. It will be clear from inspection of Fig. 4, that by swinging the arm I4 to one side or the other, the neckties or other articles hanging on the crossbars are spread out so that they are readily visible individually and easily accessible for removal. And, conversely, the empty cross-bars are more easily observable by a person facing the rack from the front when the rack is swung to one side.

The cross-bars I5 are shown of suitable length for reception of neckties. If the rack is to be used for towels or other articles requiring more space than neckties, the cross-bars should be made proportionately longer.

The arm 14 can be lowered from the horizontal posture in which it is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 to the depending posture in which it is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by pulling the arm outwardly away from the mounting plate so as disengage the tooth 21 from the ear 28. This can be done most readily by lifting the arm slightly while pulling outwardly thereon.

It will be apparent that there are many possible modifications within the broad purview of my inventive concept, and, accordingly, I do not wish to be limited otherwise than as indicated by the terms of the appended claims.

, What is claimed is:

1. A rack of the class described, comprising: a bracket adapted for attachment to a vertical supporting surface, an arm hinged at one end to said bracket for rotation in a vertical plane, said arm including two parallel laterally spaced bars extending from said bracket and each hinged at the bracket end to enable rotation thereof in a horizontal plane when said arm is positioned horizontally, means for releasably latching said arm in a horizontal position, and a plurality of cross-bars carried by said arm and spaced apart lengthwise of said arm and projecting laterally therefrom, said cross-bars each extending transversely of said arm and each loosely connected to the two parallel laterally spaced bars.

2. A rack in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cross-bars pass through apertures formed in said parallel bars, said apertures being large enough, lengthwise of said parallel bars, to enable free rotational movement of said parallel bars in a horizontal plane, when said arm is positioned horizontally.

3. A rack in accordance with claim 1 including a tie member to which said parallel bars are each pivotally connected at spaced points, said tie member being located remotely from said bracket.

4. A rack of the class described, comprising: a mounting plate adapted for attachment to a wall surface, said mounting plate having a forwardly projecting ear, a pair of forwardly projecting parallel bracket elements carried by said mounting plate and spaced apart horizontally'in opposed relation, a member disposed between said bracket elements and having pin and slot means for rotation in a vertical plane, said member being bodily movable to a limited extent transversely of its axis of rotation and having a radially projecting tooth adapted to latchingly engage said car when said member is moved toward said mounting plate, and unlatched from said ear when said member is moved away from said mounting plate, and an arm carried by and extending outwardly from said member and rotatable therewith in a vertical plane, said arm being hinged adjacent said member for rotation in a plane perpendicular to the plane of rotation of said member, said tooth and ear being operative conjointly to releasably latch said member in the angular position which corresponds to a horizontal position of said arm. I

5. A rack according to claim 4 wherein said arm comprises two parallel laterally spaced bars each hinged to said member for rotation in said perpendicular plane and including aplurality of cross-bars extending transversely of said arm and spaced apart therealong, said cross-bars each being loosely connected to each of said parallel bars.

6. A rack of the class described, comprising: a mounting plate adapted for attachment to a wall surface, said mounting plate having two vertical, horizontally spaced slots, a pair of bracket ele-,. ments, each having one or more rearwardly projecting T-lugs extending through one of said slots and releasably securing its bracket element to said mounting plate, said slots each having at least one widened area for enabling disengagement of said lugs and their respective bracket elements from said mounting plate, said bracket elements being spaced apart horizontally in mutually opposed relation, a fulcrum pin bridged between said bracket elements and supported thereby, a member disposed between said bracket ele ments and fulcrumed on said pin for rotation in a vertical plane, an arm carried by said member and projecting outwardly therefrom, said arm being rotatable in a vertical plane, together with said member, from a horizontal position to a depending position and vice-Versa, and latch means for releasably retaining said arm in horizontal position.

7. A rack in accordance with claim 6, wherein said arm comprises two parallel laterally spaced bars each hinged at one end to said member for rotation in a plane pedpendicular to said vertical plane, said bars each being pivotally connected at their distal ends to a tie member bridging said ends, said parallel bars each having a plurality of apertures spaced apart lengthwise thereof, and a plurality of cross-bars extending transversely of said arm and each passing through one of the said apertures in each of said parallel bars, said apertures being elongated lengthwise of their respective bars to enable said parallel bars to shift lengthwise mutually, without inter ference from said cross-bars when said arm is rotated in said perpendicular plane.

8. A rack in accordance with claim 6, wherein said latch means comprises a forwardly projecting car on said mounting plate and a radially projecting tooth on said member adapted to engage said ear and thus retain said arm against downward rotation from horizontal posture, said member having an elongated slot engaging said pin whereby said member is bodily movable perpendicularly to its axis of rotation to effect engagement and disengagement between said tooth and said ear.

9. A rack of the class described, comprising: a mounting plate adapted for attachment to a wall surface, a pair of complementary bracket elements attached to said mounting plate and projecting outwardly there-from in horizontally spaced opposed relation, said mounting plate having an outwardly projecting ear disposed between said bracket elements, a fulcrum pin bridged between said bracket elements and sup ported thereby, a member disposed between said bracket elements and having an axial opening traversed by said fulcrum pin, an arm carried by said member and extending outwardly therefrom, said arm being rotatable with said member in a vertical plane between a horizontal position and a depending position, said member having a radially projecting peripheral tooth adapted to latchingly engage said ear and thereby releasably retain said arm in horizontal position, said opening being laterally elongated so as to present an inclined camming surface to said fulcrum pin when said arm is in horizontal position, the inclination of said surface being so directed that a downward force on said member is effective to urge said member toward said mounting plate when said arm is in horizontal position, thereby moving said tooth into a position to latchingly engage said ear, said arm being releasa'ble for movement to depending position by tension applied thereto while in horizontal position.

10. A rack in accordance with claim 9 wherein said arm comprises two parallel laterally spaced bars each hinged at one end to said member for rotation in a plane perpendicular to said vertical plane, a tie member pivotally connected to and bridged between the distal ends of said bars and a plurality of cross-bars spaced apart lengthwise of said arm and carried thereby and extending transversely thereof and loosely connected to said bars, said cross-bars each extending laterally from said arm at opposite sides thereof.

HAROLD HEISLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 599,706 Heineken Mar. 1, 1898 648,234 Brown Apr. 24, 1900 759,926 Smith May 17, 1904 1,510,056 Hamson Sept. 30, 1924 1,732,489 Uckotter Oct. 22, 1929 1,928,766 Schmidt Oct. 3, 1933 2,259,166 Kendrick Oct. '14, 1941 2,453,919 Johnson et al Nov. 16, 1948 2,470,015 Canner May 10,1949 2,471,349 Reiss May 24, 1949 

